Some of the things that I would like to see more of these
days is patience and focus. This is not saying that these
things do not exist in today’s young players, just that it is
hard to come by. There is a strong desire for instant
gratification and a lack of understanding on how to truly
achieve the desired skills.
There is no secret, no magic dust, incredible teacher or group
that can help you become better if you as an individual don’t
put in the time to make yourself better. In this article I
will try to shed some light on how this is accomplished and
set a timeline to get “there.”
So, how do you do that? How do you put in the time to get
better and get better at the most rapid rate possible?
You go as slow as you can. That may sound backwards but it is
true. Odds are pretty good that if you are of high school age
or have been drumming for about 3-6 years you have some very
good skills but there are some things you could stand to
improve upon.
In order to break any habit that you have, you must “erase” it
by reprogramming yourself. You do this by retraining your
brain, spinal cord, and hands to move correctly.
I will use a Flam Accent as an example on how to do this:
Keep in mind the following heights for the notes: Accent /
Primary Note = 9-12 or 60-75 degrees, taps = 3 or 30 degrees,
and grace notes = 1 or 15 degrees.
Play the rudiment at quarter note = 60 beats per minute for
five minutes. This is painful, not a lot of fun but something
you have to do…kind of like learning how to ride bike….you
fell off a few times before you took the training wheels off,
and even more when the wheels did come off…don’t forget that.
Play with EXACT heights and in time. (you will know you are
in time if you can not hear the metronome)….you are playing
with a metronome, aren’t you?
Now play the following exercise at 63 bpm for five minutes.
Play with EXACT heights and in time. Yes it is the same exact
thing…that is the point.
Rinse, repeat and increase each tempo by 3 bpm per 5 minutes.
Each “session” should be no less than 4 different tempo
markings or 20 minutes (it should take you an hour to go from
60 to 93 bpm etc.). As you start each new tempo, make sure
your sticks are moving smoothly, without jerky motions.
So here is the hard part…you have to have a TON of patience
and a lot of focus to retrain your muscles to do the correct
motions. There is no way around, over, under, through,
inside, outside, etc. other than to do it for AT LEAST 5
minutes at a time.
Once you have attained the desired speed with the Flam Accent,
try the following exercise; which deals with “building up” the
rudiment.
The first measure of the exercise is repeated until the end of
the exercise. Think of the “lead hand’ as a ride pattern on a
cymbal and make sure the lead hand stays consistent. Each
measure adds one note to the rudiment. Bar 2, LH grace, Bar
3, LH Primary Note/Accent, Bar 4, LH tap (this will form ONE
complete Flam Accent), Bar 5, last LH tap completing the
rudiment with both hands.
Practice leading with both hands and with each hand on
different surfaces (LH on Drum, RH on rim, RH on ride cymbal,
LH on Snare Drum, etc….) By practicing with your hands on
different surfaces and getting different sounds, you can hear
what each hand is doing much better. Does your right and left
hand sound the same? Are your heights staying consistent?
How is your rhythm? Be aware enough to hear yourself while
you are playing.
Be sure to practice with a metronome and keep correct heights
and stay in time.
Remember there is no easy way around learning the
basics...just like learning your multiplication tables years
ago, you had to practice and train yourself to remember the
right number combinations just as now you must retrain your
muscle memory and dexterity.
Apply this formula of going very slow and “building up” the
rudiment to others and watch your sound, technique, and height
definition improve.
I hope the information has been helpful, remember to go slow
and be very patient. All of this and much, much more will
be in my new book, "The Next Level", available in April.
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